Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
different PC, the activation server compares the hardware code it has on fi le to the new one
coming in, and if they're too different, it assumes you're installing on a different PC and
refuses to let you activate the software.
How is this code generated? Manufacturers are very cagey about that, because releasing
too much information may give hackers what they need to thwart the system. Generally,
a small hardware change on a PC, such as a different network card or display adapter,
won't be a problem. However, if you replace the motherboard, the software probably won't
reactivate through the automated system.
Most of the manufacturers that use activation allow you to phone in to request an
activation reset, and they will give you no grief over it the fi rst few times. But if you
repeatedly call to request additional activation chances, they'll probably think you're trying
to get around the license agreement and won't let you reset the activation anymore.
Digital Rights Management
Digital content is pirated even more frequently than applications, so over the years
suppliers of digital content (books, music, videos, and so on) have developed various
schemes of preventing unauthorized sharing of content. Generically, these schemes are
known as
digital rights management
(
DRM
).
DRM is nothing new. Cable TV scrambling has been using this for years: your service
provider issues a card with a recognized identifi er that can be activated remotely to
enable you to access an array of copyrighted content.
For music fi les, DRM has proved controversial, because people paying for music they
have downloaded haven't always been able to transfer the fi les to other media they
legitimately use (such as a CD for their automobile).
Applications are available that will crack the encryption on DRM-protected fi les
(especially music and video). The makers maintain that the software is strictly to allow
legitimate owners of the clips to make backup copies for their own use, which is legal;
but in practice most of the “backup copies” end up being illegally shared with others.
Repairing or Reinstalling an Application
If an application doesn't work, you may be able to repair it. Some applications have a built-
in repair feature that compares the installed fi les to a list of originals and fi xes anything that
has been improperly modifi ed. For example, it may check the fi lenames and sizes of all the
helper fi les, and if it fi nds a fi le that is a different size than expected, it assumes that fi le has
been corrupted and recopies an original version from the setup fi les to overwrite it. The repair
process can also include checking the Windows Registry (or equivalent in other OSs) to make
sure the proper entries are present that will allow the application to function correctly.
